With the 31st Annual Edition of the ESPY Awards taking place this evening, it allows one to look into what may be missing from potential nominees. In the case of the biggest prize in the ceremony, what would the nomination committee have to lose in considering the success of teams motorsports?
31 years ago, a series of awards were conceived. Awards designed to recognize the excellence of performance across the calendar year of sports. This excellence was not limited to one specific sport, competition, or league. It was a form of excellence that recognized the achievements of both individual and team athletic performance. An excellence that athletes continue to strive for to this day.
The ESPYs were born.
Currently, the ESPYs are broken down into 22 categories and three honorary awards. The biggest prize of the night? The recognition of Best Team. The chemistry behind the power of teamwork serves as the central ingredient to what makes or breaks the success of a team. When that chemistry is kept together, unified by a common interest, it separates great teams from championship-winning dynasties.
The Nominees for Best Team
The world of racing is an example of that success. Across the generational landscape, racing dynasties have statistically proven why they belong in the same generational categories as those of (in no specific order of preference):
- The New York Yankees
- The Chicago Bulls in the 1990s
- The San Antonio Spurs in the early 2000s
- The New England Patriots with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick
…and the list goes on.
In the 31 years since the inception of the ESPYs, those motorsports dynasties include:
- Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
- Hendrick Motorsports
- Scuderia Ferrari
- Team Penske
- Mercedes AMG
…and more.
Currently, Red Bull Racing is in a class of its own. No other team across any paddock, in any competition around the world, could come close. Unless some act of god intervenes, both the World Constructor’s Championship, and the World Driver’s Championship, are all secured for RBR, the RB19, and their RBPT engines. Not only is their franchise athlete — the two-time reigning and defending World Driver’s Champion: Max Verstappen, currently leading the World Driver’s Championship standings by 99 points over his teammate: Sergio Perez, RBR has a 100% success rate across 10 rounds so far this season. Perez was victorious in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, while Verstappen finished no lower than second. All the whilel, Red Bull has captured the pole position in 9 out of 10 qualifying rounds.
The Teamwork in Automobile Racing
Across the world of sports, a critical ingredient to dynasty success is the relationship between a head coach and their players. The world of racing is no different. Over the past decade, the ingredient has highlighted the successful dynasties of automobile racing. Here in the United States, Tim Cindric has led Team Penske drivers Will Power and Josef Newgarden to three Astor Cups in the IndyCar Series. In between retirement as an athlete and his current tenure as Vice Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon has seen Hendrick Motorsports capture three series championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, and currently sees his athlete, William Byron lead the Cup Series standings by 36 points. In the world of Formula 1, it is the Team Principal who guides their athletes to prominence.
For RBR, Christian Horner has cemented his legacy of placement alongside the best head coaches of this generation. Having been atop the mountain previously with Sebastian Vettel, Horner once again helped lead Red Bull to the promised land — taking back their domain of dominance from Toto Wolff, Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes. Even without their share of controversies, one would be remiss to dismiss RBR as one of the best teams across the realm of professional sports.
Statistically, RBR belongs in the same conversation as:
- The Denver Nuggets
- The Kansas City Chiefs
- The Las Vegas Aces
- The Vegas Golden Knights
For Your Consideration in 2024
As the Academy recognizes 10 nominees for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, it allows lobbying for consideration with the ESPYs committee. Why not expand the Best Team category to 10 nominees? When a level of dominance is statistically showcased by one team, in the pinnacle of a professional sport, how does it not showcase worthiness of consideration with the aforementioned nominees? As the ESPY committee looks to further excellence across the realm of sports for their 32nd ceremony and beyond, what would they have to lose in expansion?
The 31st Annual ESPY Awards — LIVE TONIGHT at 08:oo PM EST/07:00 PM CST on ABC
